Tubular container



' 25, 0 A. L. BEARDSLEY 1,782,525

TUBULAR CONTAINER Filed Jan. 50, I928.

Patented Nov. 25, 1930 UNITED STATES ARTHUR L. BEARDSLEY, OII ELKHAR'I', INDIANA.

TUBULAR CONTAINER Application flled January 30, 1928. Serial No. 250,352.

This invention relates to a package and method of making the same through the employment of novel tubular containers whichare adapted to essentially a single use,

5 that is, are intended to be discarded when emptied, which can be readily filled, easily closed and very conveniently opened and readily rescaled to protect the remaining contents when a definite portion thereof is re-- moved. 1

' In the transmission of certain substances through the mails, or otherwise, if they are I absorbent or deleteriously affected by exposure to the air, it is of vital importance that they be contained in a receptacle that is both air and moisture proof. This is particularly true of tablets or granular material of a medicinal character which the container of my invention is peculiarl ada ted to contain.

The )rincipal ob ect 0 this invention is to provide a moisture and air-proof ductile metal container for any substance which is either absorbent or deleteriously-aifected by exposure to air.

Another object of the invention is to provide a moisture and air-proof ductile metal container for tablets pr granular materials which may be either absorbent or deleterionsly affected by exposure to air. A third object of the invention is to provide a fiat tubular ductile metal'container, adapted to be sealed at both ends thereof to make it both air and moisture-proof, for mailing, or transmitting, absorbent tablets or granular material therein. v

- Other and more specificobjects of the invention are mentioned herein.

With the foregoing objects in View, the o invention consists of the novel construction hereinafter more specifically stated, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein improvements are illustrated, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail referonce is had to the accompanying drawing which forms -a part of this specification and wherein like numerals of reference indicate thin, flat bromide tablet '12, a

corresponding parts throughout the several. views, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective of a cylindrical piece of ductile metal of which the container is made;

Fig. 2 is a section of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the metal cylinder flattenedout and one end thereof closed by folding;

' Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of Fig. 3 ;v

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the completed container illustrating both ends thereof closed by folding; and

- Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of Fig.

5, showing a plurality of tablets contained therein.

The body of the container 9 is referably a seamless tube which is formed of any suitable ductile metal such as thin metallic foil,

as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and may initially be cylindrical in form. The tube is then subjected to the action of a relatively flat mandril which is inserted therein to flatten the tube throughout its length to the approximate shape illustrated in Figure 3. Then one end 10 of the tube is closed by clamping the upper and lower sides or. walls together into a flat shapeand the end thus flattened is folded upon itself so as to form a return or double fold as indicated at 11 in Figures 3 and 4. The tube is then in condition to receive the material to be contained therein, which, for convenience only, is illustrated as a relatively lurality of which are introduced edge to e ge into the 55 tube, the latter being then sealed with a double fold 11 similar to the opposite end 11. To effectually compress the tube closures 11 a pincher-like tool is applied to thoroughly compress the metal of thetube body together, whereby an air and moisture proof closure is provided at each end of the tube.

-The tube exterior is or may be provided with the corrugated transverse 'line 14 or given the indicia Cut here, Fig. '5, to provide a point at which the tube may be trans versely cut to enable ready removal of the tablets. And the walls 10 of the tube 9 may be compressed inwardly, manually or. otherwise, as illustrated at 15, whereby the tablets.

I may be suitably spaced apart and rendered immovable due to contact thereof With the upper and lower Walls of the tube.

A ductile metal container made as described and sealed at both ends by a corn-.

pressed double fold provides a most convenient element for mailing tablets or granular .substances and insures the preservation of the container contents if the latter is absorbent or subject to deterioration by exposure to air.

An important advantage accruing to this container'nnd a package formed thereby is that the package may readily and invariably be opened by the barebands only, the thin metal of the container easily permitting tearing thereof just inside the fold 11 or 11. A tablet or dose of the contents may then be removed and such removal vacates suflicient of the container that the Walls may then be flattened against each other and the end folded back upon itself to again seal the package substaritially as tight as before. lhis keeps the remaining contents of the package away from atmospheric influence and consequent deterioration. This operation of resealing may be performed by the bare hands without difliculty.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, a package comprising a thin-Walled, flattened tubular sleeve of ductile metal containing a plurality of doses of medicinal material which tends to be adversely affected by exposure to atmospheric influences, said metal sleeve having each end flattened together and folded upon itself to form a tight seal, opening of the ackage being effected by removal of the fol ed Walls at one end of the sleeve, the removal of a dose of the materialthereupon providing sufficient unoccupied space in the package to permit the Walls of the unoccupied part to be flattened together and folded upon themselves to reseal the package.

2. In combination, a flattened sleeve or ductile metal, a plurality of medicinal tablets subject to deterioration by access of air or moisture in said sleeve, said sleeve having its end sealed by flattening and folding over, the removal of one or more of said tablets providing sufficient unoccupied space in the tube to permit the opened end thereof to be pinched together and folded upon itself to form atight seal.

.ARTHUR L. BEARDSLEY. 

